DISH’s Hopper DVR device has just been released. This device was showcased during last year’s CES conference, but can under fire from CBS. At the time, CBS was in litigations with DISH, and the network wanted to prevent the Hopper device from being sent to market. However, DISH has persisted and the new device is now for sale. In the midst of all the legal battles, many consumers did not have a chance to hear or read what the new Hopper device was all about.

The device, put simply, allows users to take content anywhere. This is the first device of its kind, and it’s bound to make a lot of subscribers very happy. Content providers, on the other hand, are a lot less happy about DISH’s newest DVR. If you have a tablet and have a DISH subscription, here’s why you’ll love what Hopper is all about.

What Hopper Does

When you purchase DISH content and own a Hopper DVR, you can download that content to your tablet. From there, you can take your tablet with you wherever you go, and watch the content that you’ve downloaded. Hopper also makes it possible to download content to any tablet, PC, smartphone, or Mac. Live streaming content is available to subscribers, and this content can go where you go. Hopper has the ability to record up to 500 hours of HD content or 2,000 hours of SD video. Those are some pretty impressive numbers for a device of this type.

DISH has also made the Hopper device relatively affordable for consumers. New DISH subscribers can use Hopper’s services for free. There is a $10 per month rental fee for the actual device, however. Additional receivers will cost users an extra $7 per unit. So, that adds up to $17 per month if you purchase the Hopper plus one receiver. In total, you’ll pay $204 per year for the DVR. This price is competitive when considering other DVRs that don’t let you transfer content to other devices.

Why The Controversy?

Content providers don’t like Hopper. After all, this device allows consumers who subscribe to DISH to transfer and carry content freely. That means that content providers lose out on making extra cash from consumers. CBS is the one company actively pursuing Hopper. CBS is so angry that Hopper is available that the company revoked the prize CNet awarded to DISH. Since CNet is owned by CBS, the parent company yanked the “Best In Show” award from DISH.

Try as they might, though, CBS has not stopped DISH from getting the Hopper device to market. DISH subscribers are thrilled about the new technology, and that’s more than enough incentive for the company to keep producing the DVRs. If you have a DISH subscription and want to transfer content to other devices, Hopper is well worth looking into. Sure, you’ll pay $200 plus per year to have this option, but that’s money well spent if you travel a lot of want transferrable content. If DISH’s new DVR sells well enough, it’s safe to say that other companies will soon follow in DISH’s footsteps.